Engine mount assembly

ABSTRACT

An engine mount assembly for resiliently supporting an engine on a frame of a motor vehicle includes a frame attaching bracket in which is mounted an engine attaching bushing. The bushing and bracket have a plurality of cooperating opposed walls providing separate spaces in which rubber is molded and assembled in compression to provide resilient engine mounting for jounce, for and aft, and roll movement with respect to the frame. The separate spaces provide for the use of different rubbers and different preloads for particular engine-vehicle combinations. In addition, the bushing and bracket cooperate to limit relative movement of the engine with respect to the frame in all directions.

United states Patent 1 Fehlberg [54] ENGINE MOUNT ASSEMBLY [75]Inventor: Chester J. Fehlberg, Rochester,

Mich.

[73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 216,203

[52] U.S. C1. ..248/9, 180/64 R [51] Int. Cl. ..F16f 15/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..248/3, 6, 7, 8, 9,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,565,373 2/1971 Frye..248/9 3,544,048 12/1970 Oshima .....248/18 2,490,492 12/1949 Tyler eta1. ..248/5 2,690,891 10/1954 Henshaw ..248/5 3,548,964 12/1970 Krauss..180/64 R 2,781,990 2/1957 Via ..248/9 1,940,686 12/1933 Lord ..180/64R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 282,188 12/1927 Great Britain ..248/9Primary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss Attorney-J. L. Carpenter et al.

movement of the engine with respect to the frame in all directions.

ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures sum 1 OF 2 PATENTEDIW ems PATENTEUHAY 8 75 SHEET 2 m 2 lhuml ENGINE MOUNT ASSEMBLY This invention relatesto' an engine mount assembly and more particularly to an engine mountassembly for resiliently supporting an engine on a frame of a motorvehicle to provide for jounce, fore and aft, and roll control of theengine relative to the frame.

In a motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine there arenumerous vibrations set up such as jounce vibrations, fore and aftvibrations, and torque and torque reaction vibrations. To isolate theseengine vibrations from the passenger compartment, it is customarypractice to use resilient motor mounts to support the engine on theframe of the motor vehicle and to a large extent the results have beenvery satisfactory. However, these vibrations will vary in both frequencyand amplitude in different engine-vehicle combinations with the resultthat rather than a universal type engine mount that can be tuned for aparticular application, it is common practice to employ different typemounts for the different applications to provide the desired vibrationisolation characteristics. This is due in part to the common practice ofusing a single rubber compound which is dictated by the moreconventional engine mount structure. It is desirable that a single typeengine mount assembly be capable of tuning for different jounce, foreand aft, and roll characteristics for thedifferent engine-framecombinations yet remain simple in structure and inexpensive tomanufacture.

The engine mount assembly according to the present invention includes aframe attaching bracket in which an engine attaching bushing is mounted.Opposite sides of the bushing cooperate with opposite walls of thebracket'to provide separate spaces on the opposite sides of the bushing.Rubber is bonded and assembled in compression in the separate spaces andoperates to resiliently support the bushing relative to the bracket forjounce of the engine and also engine roll. The bracket and the bushingalso have cooperating opposed walls which load the rubber on one side ofthe bushing in compression to control fore and aft engine movement. Thebushing is secured by a bolt to a bracket on the engine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedengine mount assembly for resiliently supporting an engine on a frame ofa motor vehicle.

Another object is to provide an engine mount assembly for resilientlysupporting an engine on a frame of a motor vehicle to provide resilientengine mounting for jounce, fore and aft, and roll control and also tomaintain connection between the engine and the frame when the limit ofthe mounts resilient material is exceeded with such operation beingeffected by an engine attaching bushing mounted in a frame attachingbracket with the resilient material molded and assembled in compressionin separate spaces between these members.

Another object is to provide an engine mount assembly for resilientlysupporting an engine on a frame of a motor vehicle wherein an engineattaching bushing is located in a frame attaching bracket andcooperating opposed walls of these members provides separate spaces inwhich rubber is molded and assembled in compression to provide resilientmounting for jounce, fore and aft, and roll control.

engine mount assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the bushing of the engine mountassembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the bushing taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of the engine mount assembly per se ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the engine mount assembly taken along the line6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the engine mount assembly taken along the line77 of FIG. 5;and

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the engine mount assemblytaken along theline 88 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shownan internal combustion engine 10 which is supported at its oppositesides on a frame 12 of a motor vehicle by a pair of engine mountassemblies l4 constructed according to the present invention, therebeing only one engine mount assembly shown. The engine mount assembly 14is generally of the bushing type and is secured to the frame 12 by bolts16 as shown in FIG. 2. The engine mount assembly 14 supports the engine10 on the frame by its bushing 15 receiving a bolt 18 whose axis extendslongitudinally of the engine and vehicle frame. The bolt 18 is supportednear its opposite ends by an engine bracket 20 that is secured by bolts22 to one side of the engine 10, the engine bracket 20 having agenerally U-shaped configuration that saddles the fore and aft ends ofthe engine mount assembly 14. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, thebushing 15 is an assembly comprising an upper half member 23 and a lowerhalf member 24 which are formed with central semicircular portions 25and 26 extending the length of these bushing members. The semicircularportions 25 and 26 are opposed to each other to cooperatively provide acentral circular opening 27 which receives the mounting bolt 18. Thebushing members 23 and 24 are also formed near their longitudinallyextending edges to provide longitudinally extending rails or sides 28and 29 that turn away from but are aligned with each other to'provideroll stops as described in more detail later. The two bushing members 23and 24 are rigidly secured together by spot welds at points ontheabutting flat portions of these members intermediate the central opening27 and the sides 28 and 29. In addition, the upper bushing member 23 isformed to have a pair of domes or humps 30 and 31 that are spaced alongthe length of this member and extend transverse to the axial directionof the bushing opening 27.

The bushing assembly 15 is located in a frame attaching bracket assembly33 comprising a lower plate 34 which is flat shaped and an upper plate36 which has a U-shape as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5. The frame attachingbracket members 34 and 36 are secured together by two rivets 38 whichare located outboard of the opposite sides 39 of the upper plate member36 at points midway along the length of this member with these rivetsextending through the flat flanges 40 which abut with the flat lowerbracket plate 34. The frame attaching bracket members 34 and 36cooperatively define an opening 41 which is rectangular in cross-sectionas viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5 and extends longitudinally of the enginemount assembly for receiving the bushing assembly 15. The upper framebracket member 36 has, in addition, a pair of domes or humps 42 and 43which are spaced along the length of this member and extend transverseto the opening 41. These bumps 42 and 43 are for cooperating with thehumps 30 and 31 of the bushing assembly as described in more detaillater.

The welded bushing assembly is located in the opening 41 of the frameattaching bracket assembly 33 with the humped bushing member 23 oppositethe humped roof of the upper frame attaching member 36 and the otherbushing member 24 opposite the lower frame attaching bracket member 34.Thus, there are provided separate spaces on opposite sides of thebushing assembly 15 between the opposed walls or sides of the bushingand the frame attaching bracket. In addition, the bushing assemblyshumps 30 and 31 are located opposite the frame attaching bracketassembly humps 42 and 43 with the size and shape of these humps beingsuch that there is space therebetween for resilient material as shown inFIG. 8. Furthermore, the bushing humps 30 and 31 extend into theadjacent spaces provided by the bracket humps 42 and 43 to provideinterference between the valley of the bracket humps and the peaks ofthe bushing bumps on fore or aft movement of a certain amount betweenthe bracket and bushing. Between the bracket assembly 33 and the bushingassembly 15, separate bodies 46 and 48 of resilient material such asrubber are molded and assembled in compression. In addition, bodies 49and 50 of resilient material are molded to the outer surfaces of sides28 and 29 of the bushing assembly opposite the sides 39 of the bracketassembly. As shown in FIG. 5, the clearances 52 and 54 between the edgesof the bushing rails 28 and 29 and the upper and lower bracket-members36 and 34, respectively, are determined to limit the amount of bushingmovement in this direction to assure that both of the resilient bodies46 and 48 remain in compression during all normal movement.

With the engine mount 14 completely assembled with the bodies ofresilient material molded and assembled in compression, the engine mount14 is attached to the frame of the vehicle by the bolts 16 which passthrough holes 55 through the bracket members 34 and 36. This mounting isarranged relative to the roll axis of the engine so that the resilientbodies 46 and 48 are in position to resist engine roll in shear andengine jounce in compression. The opposite ends of the bushing 15 areprovided with extensions 56 and 57 which extend sufficiently to engagelower edges 58 and 59 of the fore and aft legs 61 and 62 of the enginebracket 26) to aid in installing the bracket with the engine over theframe attached engine mount 14. That is, their engagement prevents theengine from proceeding downward past the engine mount prior to insertionof the mounting bolt 18 through the aligned holes 64 and 66 in thebracket legs 61 and 62 and the opening 27 of the intermediately arrangedengine mount bushing 15. It will be understood that there is anotherengine mount assembly like assembly 14 on the opposite side of theengine so that the engine is supported on the frame 12 at two points bymounting assemblies according to the present invention. These mounts actas the forward supports of a mounting system which may be of the threepoint type wherein an additional centrally located rearward mount, notshown, is provided with its point of attachment being between atransmission secured to the engine and a cross member of the frame.

Engine movement in the fore and aft direction, the vertical direction,and the roll direction is resisted by the resilient bodies 46 and 48 ofthe mount assembly which by the arrangement of the rigid parts arenormally maintained in compression. For example, both of the resilientbodies 46 and 48 are always in compression between the bushing assembly15 and the engine attaching bracket assembly to control vertical enginemovement during jounce and also to control rolling engine movement withthe other resilient bodies 49 and 50 acting as resilient stops orbumpers with mechanical backup to limit rolling engine movement aboutits axis by these stops engaging the sides 39 of the bracket 33. Foreand aft movement of the engine 10 is resisted by the lower resilientbody 48 taking such movement in shear and the upper resilient body 46 intwo of the four regions between the bushing humps 30 and 31 and thebracket humps 42 and 43 taking such movement in compression.Furthermore, the interference fit of these humps is available tomechanically limit fore and aft engine movement.

With this structural arrangement, it will also be appreciated that theresilient bodies may be of different compositions so as to obtain thedesired characteristics for controlling engine movement in the variousdirections of motion and to dampen out various forms of vibration.Furthermore, with the resilient bodies 46 and 48 being preloaded andremaining in compression during all normal relative engine-framemovement, the fatigue life of these materials is substantiallyincreased. Thus, the engine mount assembly according to the presentinvention has a long life in addition to being of very simpleconstruction well suited for mass production and at a relatively lowcost.

The above described embodiment is illustrative of the invention whichmay be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine mount assembly for resiliently supporting an engine on aframe, bracket means having two pairs of opposed walls transverse toeach other, bushing means located in said bracket means comprising apair of members secured together and having intermediate inner sideportions formed to cooperatively provide a fastener opening extendingtherebetween and with one pair of outer sides of said plates disposedopposite one pair of said walls of said bracket means and another pairof outer sides of said bushing members disposed opposite the other pairof said walls of said bracket means, one of said one pair of said outersides of said bushing members and one of said one pair of said walls ofsaid bracket means also arranged opposite each other in the axialdirection of said bushing means, resilient means secured in compressionbetween said one pair of said outer sides of said bushing members andsaid one pair of said walls of said bracket means whereby relativemovement between said bushing means and said bracket means is resistedby said resilient means while loaded in compression in both the axialdirection of said bushing means and also in directions transversethereto and whereby maximum relative movement between said bushing meansand said bracket means in both the axial direction of said bushing meansand directions transverse thereto is limited by said walls of saidbracket means and said sides of said bushing means, and resilient meanssecured to said other pair of said outer sides of said bushing membersfor engaging said other pair of said walls of said bracket means.

2. The engine mount assembly set forth in claim 1 and only said one ofsaid outer sides of said bushing members and only said one of said wallsof said bracket means having humps arranged opposite each other toprovide interference with each other in said axial direction of saidbushing means.

3. The engine mount assembly set forth in claim 2 and said bracket meanscomprising a U-shaped bracket member and a flat-shaped bracket memberproviding a rectangular-shaped opening receiving said bushing means andsaid resilient means and with said bracket means hump formed on onlysaid U-shaped bracket member.

1. In an engine mount assembly for resiliently supporting an engine on aframe, bracket means having two pairs of opposed walls transverse toeach other, bushing means located in said bracket means comprising apair of members secured together and having intermediate inner sideportions formed to cooperatively provide a fastener opening extendingtherebetween and with one pair of outer sides of said plates disposedopposite one pair of said walls of said bracket means and another pairof outer sides of said bushing members disposed opposite the other pairof said walls of said bracket means, one of said one pair of said outersides of said bushing members and one of said one pair of said walls ofsaid bracket means also arranged opposite each other in the axialdirection of said bushing means, resilient means secured in compressionbetween said one pair of said outer sides of said bushing members andsaid one pair of said walls of said bracket means whereby relativemovement between said bushing means and said bracket means is resistedby said resilient means while loaded in compression in both the axialdirection of said bushing means and also in directions transversethereto and whereby maximum relative movement between said bushing meansand said bracket means in both the axial direction of said bushing meansand directions transverse thereto is limited by said walls of saidbracket means and said sides of said bushing means, and resilient meanssecured to said other pair of said outer sides of said bushing membersfor engaging said other pair of said walls of said bracket means.
 2. Theengine mount assembly set forth in claim 1 and only said one of saidouter sides of said bushing members and only said one of said walls ofsaid bracket means having humps arranged opposite each other to provideinterference with each other in said axial direction of said bushingmeans.
 3. The engine mount assembly set forth in claim 2 and saidbracket means comprising a U-shaped bracket member and a flat-shapedbracket member providing a rectangular-shaped opening receiving saidbushing means and said resilient means and with said bracket means humpformed on only said U-shaped bracket member.